A new perspective on drug-resistant epilepsy in children with focal cortical dysplasia type 1: From challenge to favorable outcome.

Objective: We comprehensively characterized a large pediatric cohort with focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) type 1 to expand the phenotypic spectrum and to identify predictors of postsurgical outcomes.

Methods: We included pediatric patients with histopathological diagnosis of isolated FCD type 1 and at least 1 year of postsurgical follow-up. We systematically reanalyzed clinical, electrophysiological, and radiological features.

Epilepsy surgery in children with operculoinsular epilepsy: Results of a large unicentric cohort.

Objective: Epilepsy surgery in the operculoinsular cortex is challenging due to the difficult delineation of the epileptogenic zone and the high risk of postoperative deficits.

Methods: Pre- and postsurgical data from 30 pediatric patients who underwent operculoinsular cortex surgery at the Motol Epilepsy Center Prague from 2010 to 2022 were analyzed.

Results: Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD; n = 15, 50%) was the predominant cause of epilepsy, followed by epilepsy-associated tumors (n = 5, 17%) and tuberous sclerosis complex (n = 2, 7%).

Evaluating mechanical benefit of wedge osteotomies in endoscopic surgery for sagittal synostosis using patient-specific 3D-printed models.

Purpose: Endoscopically assisted sagittal strip craniotomy with subsequent cranial orthosis is a frequently used surgical approach for non-syndromic sagittal synostosis. Originally, this technique involved a wide sagittal strip craniectomy with bilateral wedge osteotomies. More recent studies suggest omitting wedge osteotomies, achieving similar outcomes.

Genetic testing in children enrolled in epilepsy surgery program. A real-life study.

Objective: Although genetic causes of drug-resistant focal epilepsy and selected focal malformations of cortical development (MCD) have been described, a limited number of studies comprehensively analysed genetic diagnoses in patients undergoing pre-surgical evaluation, their outcomes and the effect of genetic diagnosis on surgical strategy.

Methods: We analysed a prospective cohort of children enrolled in epilepsy surgery program over January 2018-July 2022. The majority of patients underwent germline and/or somatic genetic testing.

Predictors of postoperative complications and functional outcomes in pediatric patients with surgically treated fourth ventricle tumors.

Background: Tumors of the fourth ventricle are frequently treated pathologies in pediatric neurosurgery. Data regarding predictors for permanent neurological deficits, long-term functional outcomes, cerebellar mutism (CM), the extent of resection (EOR), and oncological outcomes are scarce. We attempt to contribute to this topic with an analysis of our institutional cohort.